Case of an extra-uterine foetus. Communicated in a letter to Dr. Simmons / [Michael Underwood].

  • Michael Underwood
Date:
[1787]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Case of an extra-uterine foetus. Communicated in a letter to Dr. Simmons / [Michael Underwood]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    60/62 (page 60)
    [ <5o ] , eircumftances, would be precifely incurring the greateft danger of the very accident we mean to prevent. Every body knows that to turn a child, in a ftrongly contracted uterus, is at all times at¬ tended with fome danger of a rupture; how much more muft it be fo, when, from any pre¬ indicating fymptoms, or eircumftances, how¬ ever ftrong, we can be led to fuppofe that a rupture is in danger of taking place. I myfelf know an inftance where a furgeon, in attempt¬ ing to grafp the feet of the child when the arm prefented, happening only to clofe his hand in the uterus, found the latter immediately give way. Though the woman was at the fame inftant delivered, and no very violent fymptom immediately fupervened, yet fhe died in a few days. I am, therefore, clearly of opinion, that even if the prefaging fymptoms were more de- cifive and determinate than I think they ever can be, this method of prevention is too ha¬ zardous to be attempted; but, equivocal as they muft be, I think it is ftill lefs to be juftified, let the internal evidence be ever fo ftrong. I am ftill the more confirmed in this opinion by a recent cafe which happened in my own pradtice.